What to Do When You Find a Pet

We are asking the community to help animals by following a few simple guidelines when finding a lost pet:

1. Check for any identification, such as a collar with rabies or ID tags.
2. Have the animal scanned for a microchip at a veterinary office or shelter.
3. Fill out a Found Pet Report form and email it, along with a photo of the pet, to lostandfoundpets@talgov.com.
4. Search through the photos and descriptions of lost animals.
5. Post a photo of the animal and its description on the following platforms:
   • Facebook lost/found groups and pet groups for Tallahassee
   • Nextdoor.com
   • Craigslist.com
   • Pawboost.com
   • Lostdogsflorida.org
   • Lost.petcolove.org
   • 24petconnect.com
   • Any local social media groups for your neighborhood or complex
6. Create a found animal flyer with a color photo and post it around the area where the animal was found, including veterinarians and pet supply stores.
7. Cats usually don’t wander far from home, so their home is likely nearby. Friendly stray cats can be left to return home on their own unless they are sick or injured. You can also attach a paper collar asking the owner to call you when the cat returns.
8. All finders (citizens, rescue groups, veterinarians) should follow the above recommendations before rehoming. If an owner is located, every reasonable effort should be made to return the animal.
9. If you have completed the above steps and are unable to care for the animal, please call us to set up an appointment for surrender.

For an after-hours emergency involving a sick or injured stray animal that needs immediate veterinary care, contact the Consolidated Dispatch Agency at 850-606-5800. They will connect you with the on-call animal control officer.